Filing cabinet



FILING CABINET Filed Nov.- 26, 1938 F/g E INVENTOR l/h/ t f Kaye/1 M P T If Maw;

ATTORN EY Patented Sept. 16, 1941 UNITED STATES PATIENT OFFICE FILING CABINET Walter F. Regenhardt, Cleveland, Ohio Application November 26, 1938, Serial No. 242,541

12 Claims.

The present invention relates to filing drawers or the like and more particularly to filing drawers employing a follower file-back.

One of th objects of the present invention is to provide for rigidly holding a file-back in position and to provide for the ready adjustment or shifting of the file-back. In carrying out this object, it is a further object of'the present invention to provide the upper edges of the filing drawer each with an abutment for a wedge shapedlocking member which member is adapted to engage a surface on the file-back and which, when moved forwardly will frictionally engage the surface on the file-back and the abutment for frictionally holding the file-back in position.

Another object of the present invention is to incline the wedge engaging surface of the fileback upwardly, forwardly.

A still further object is to resiliently support the wedge engaging surface of th file-back.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description reference being had to theaccompanying drawing wherein a preferred form of embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the improved drawer and file-back, the section being taken on line of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 'of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown a drawer 20, having a front wall 2|, carrying a 34, respectively, which are connected with the" bottom wall 28. The upper edges of side walls 26 and 21 are each provided with an inwardly extending portion 35 and a downwardly-extending flange 36, to thus provide an open bottom guide and an abutment, the bottom of the portion 35 forming the abutment.

A follower file-back 40 includes a forward vertically extending section 4| arranged parallel with the front 2| and transversely of the side walls 26 and 21. The file-back also includes a base section 42, which rides upon the floor or bottom wall 28, and a rear upwardly extending sec- 55 for tolerances in construction whereby binding tion 43, which is arranged parallel with the forward section 4| and terminates below the flange 35 of the side wall. The file-back 40 also includes a section 44 which extends from the upper edge of section 43 forwardly and is inclined upwardly as is clearly shown in Fig. 1. The section 44 terminates in an upwardly extending flange 46 which lies adjacent the rear of the forward section 4|. The upper edge of the file-back is turned rearwardly as at 41 and then forwardly to provide a handle for the file-back follower. Preferably the sections 41, 4|, 42, 43, 44 and 46 are formed of one sheet of metal.

A tile-back locking member is shown at 50, this member including a bottom wall 5| and sides 52 and 53. Member 50 also includes a rear wall which is turned over at 56 to provide a rounded surface at the upper edge thereof. Preferably locking member 50 is formed of one piece of sheet metal.

The sides 52 and 53 of member 50 extend vertically upwardly from the bottom wall 5| and are spaced so as to fit within the guide formed by the portions 35 and flanges 35 of the upper edges of the side walls 28 and 21 of the drawer. The upper edges of the sides 52 and 53 and the bottom surface of wall 5|, are so formed as to provide a wedge like member which, when inserted in position and moved forwardly over the upper section 44 of file-back 40, will cause the file-back to be depressed downwardly due to the camming action of the member 5|! with the abutment of the upper edges of the side walls 26 and 21 and the abutment of the member 50 on the top side of section 34 of the file-back. It will be noted that the top section 44 of the file-back 40 is inclined forwardly at an angle substantially equal to the angular relationship between the bottom surface of wall 5| and the upper edges of the sides 52 and 53 of the locking member. This in effect provides a wide area to which pressure onthe wall 44 is applied, that is, pressure is applied upon the wall 44 from the front to the rear of the bottom wall 5| of the member 50.

Although it is not necessary to attach the flange 46 to the front section 4| of the file-back 40, never-the-less it is attached by spot welding intermediate the sides, preferably at the point marked X and indicated by the numeral 58. Preferably the sheet metal of the file-back 40 is resilient and since the flange 45 is attached to the front section 4|, at the center only, the opposite front edges of the section 44 may be resiliently depressed. This resiliency compensates is insured between the locking member ill and the abutments of the side walls 2! and 21 and' between the locking member 50 and the top wall or section 44 of file-back 40 although the dimensions vary slightly from normal. Furthermore, this resiliency provides for frictionally holding the locking member 50 in position, after it is moved to its locking position.

As previously stated. it is preferable to attach the flange 46 to the forward section H of the file-back 40 because the depressing action of the locking member 50 is thereby transmitted also to the front of the file-back as well as through the rear section 43. In this manner the entire bottom wall or section 42 of file-back 40 is pressed downwardly upon the floor 28 of the drawer 20. Thus by attaching the central part only of the flange 46 to the forward section 4|, the desired resiliency is maintained in the section 44 directly below the sides 52 and 53 while at the same time depressing pressure is maintained at the front as well as the rear of the bottom wall of ction 42.

'Zli'he present invention is particularly useful in connection with card filing systems wherein it is desirable to retain the cards tightly in position, particularly cards provided with perforations and slots employed in Hollerrith and Powers accounting machines as the particular follower file-back securely locks the cards in straight position in the drawer. In operation, the section 4| of the file-back 40 is pulled tightly against the back of the rearmost card and then the locking member is forced forwardly into locking position. This will maintain the file-back 40 in position. To release the locking member 50, the operator's thumb or thumbs are placed in front of the section as of member 50 and the fingers are placed on the rear of section 43 of the file-back. Then by moving the thumbs rearwardly, the locking member can be readily released so as to permit shifting of the file-back. It will be noted that the bottom wall or section 42 provides a wide base for the file-back to maintain the file-back in upright position while the locking member 50 is in a released position.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

I claim:

1. A filingdrawer comprising in combination, side walls and a connecting bottom wall, the side walls each having an inwardly extending and horizontally disposed abutment; a follower fileback disposed between the side walls and transversely thereof, said file-back having an upwardly, forwardly inclined camming surface; anda file-back locking member including two spaced wedging members and a yoke connecting the members, said yoke being slidable on the cam-,

ming surface, and the wedging members being adapted to frictionally engage said abutments when the locking member is moved forwardly.

2. A filing drawer comprising in combination, side walls and a connecting bottom wall, the side walls each having an inwardly extending and horizontally disposed abutment; a follower fileback disposed between the side walls and transversely thereof, said file-back having a base slidable on the bottom wall'of the drawer and having an upwardly, forwardly inclined camming surface above the base; and a file-back locking member including means slidable on the camming surface and means adapted to frictionally engage said abutments to press the base against the bottom of the drawer when the locking member is moved forwardly.

3. A filing drawer comprising in combination, side walls and a connecting bottom wall, the side walls each having an inwardly extending and horizontally disposed abutment; a follower fileback disposed between the side walls and transversely thereof, said file-back having a rearwardly extending base slidable on the bottom wall of the drawer and having an engaging surface; and a wedge shaped file-back locking member having a forwardly inclined camming surface adapted to frictionally engage said engaging surface and said locking member being adapted to frictionally engage said abutments to press the base against the bottom of the drawer when the locking member is moved forwardly.

4. A filing drawer comprising in combination, side walls and a connecting bottom wall, the side walls each having an inwardly extending and horizontally disposed abutment; a follower fileback disposed between the side walls and transversely thereof. said file-back having a wedge engaging surface, at least part of the same being flexible; and a wedge shapedflle-back locking. member adapted to frictionally engage said engaging surface including the flexible part. and adapted to frictionally engage said abutments when the member is moved forwardly.

5. A filing drawer comprising in combination, side walls and a connecting bottom wall, the side walls each having an inwardly extending and horizontally disposed abutment; a follower fileback disposed between the side walls and transversely thereof, said file-back having a wedge engaging surface disposed transversely of the length of the drawer and the opposite ends thereof being resilient; and a wedge shaped file-back looking member adapted to frictionally engage said resilient ends and said abutments when the member is moved forwardly.

6. A filing drawer comprising in combination, side walls and a connecting bottom wall, the side walls each having an inwardly extending and horizontally disposed abutment; a follower fileback' disposed between the side walls and transversely thereof said file-back including a forward upwardly extending file-back section, a rear upwardly extending section, a base connecting said sections and slidable on the bottom wall of the drawer, and a wedge-engaging section connected with the upper end of the rear upwardly extending section and extending forwardly, said" wedge engaging section having an intermediate portion attached to the forward file-bacfisection and the opposite ends thereof free of the forward file-back section to thereby provide for resiliency of said ends; and a wedge shaped file-back lockingmember adapted to frictionally engage the resilient ends of the wedge engaging section and said abutments when the member is moved forwardly.

7. A filing drawer comprising in combination, side walls and a connecting bottom wall, at least one of the side walls having an inwardly extending and horizontally disposed abutment; a follower file-back disposed between the side walls and transversely thereof, said file-back having a rearwardly extending base slidable on the bottom wall of the drawer and having an engaging surface above the base; and a wedge shaped fileback locking member including a camming surface inclined forwardly and upwardly, said camming back disposed between the side walls and transversely thereof, said file-back including a forward upwardly extending file-back section, a rear upwardly extending section, a base connecting said sections and slidable on the bottom wall of the drawer, and a bearing section connected with the upper end of the said rear upwardly extending section and extending forwardly and upwardly, said bearing section being attached to the forward file-back section; and a file-back locking member including a base slidable along the bearing section and having wedging members, said wedging members having edges adapted to engage said abutments when the locking member is moved forward, said edges being inclined upwardly and rearwardly with respect to the base of the locking member substantially equal to the incline of the bearing section with respect to the base of the file-back member.

9. A filing drawer comprising in combination,

side walls and a connecting bottom wall, at least section; and a-wedge shaped file-back locking member adapted to frictionally engage the wedging section and the abutment to press the base against the bottom of the drawer when the looking member is moved in a substantially horizontal direction.

10; In combination, a filing drawer having a bottom wall and confronting side walls, each of said side walls having alaterally extending and downwardly facing abutment, one of said walls having an upwardly facing abutment; a follower file back and locking mechanism therefor disposed between the side walls, said locking mechanism including abutment means having parts engageable with the downwardly facing abutments of the side walls, and abutment means engageable with the upwardly facing abutment, one of said abutment means including a resilient friction member yieldable vertically for yieldingly maintaining the abutments in abutting relation.

11. In combination, a filing drawer having a bottom wall and confronting side walls, each of said side walls having a laterally extending and downwardly facing abutment, one of said walls having an upwardly facing abutment; a follower file-back disposed between the side walls, said file-back having a laterally extending abutment on each of the opposite sides thereof and facing upwardly and engageable with the downwardly facing abutments of the drawer, said file-back having a laterally extending abutment facing downwardly and engageable with the upwardly facing abutment of the drawer; one of said abutments comprising a resilient friction member yieldable vertically.

12. In combination, a filing drawer having a bottom wall and confronting side walls, each of said side walls having an inwardly extending and downwardly facing abutment; afollower fileback disposed between the side walls, an abutment extending from each of the side edges of the file-back, said latter abutments being engageable with the downwardly facing abutments of the drawer, said file-back having a rearwardly extending abutment at the bottom thereof and engageable with the bottom wall of the drawer, one of said abutments comprising a resilient friction member yieldable vertically.

WALTER F. REGENHARDT. 

